This morning (Rochester) I saw 21 birds. Stopped to take a look. 18 Hens 2 strutting jakes and a longbeard mating with a hen. He was on top of her for at least 5 minutes. This seems early 3/19. 6 weeks til the season.

flocks haven't broken up here yet. Still have 3 feet of snow on the ground. The warm weather the last couple days has made a big difference. I'm sure we will have some bare ground by the time the season comes.

What works for me may not work for you and what works today may not work tomorrowDoug <- <- ~<- <- <- ~ <-

well the snow is pretty much gone for now and i have notice that the big flock that were in the pasture is getting smaller i did have 5 toms now it's down to three the struting and yelping has picked up a lot in the last couple of days as well . how i wish they would bump up the season to april 15th and run it to may 15th same number of days as the current season so i don't see what the difference would be and while i dreaming why not all day hunting as well[;)]wayne

As you all know by now we are getting dumped one once again by snow, but before and over the past couple weeks I have been seeeing more and more flocks hitting the fields. Scouted a couple times and haven't heard much but the sign is there. I live in Lockport and hunt mostly in the Stafford/Batavia area.

Well, all is quiet here in cny. I haven't seen much in the way of turkeys at all. My hunting areas seem to be bare. I am usually seeing birds by this point. I plan on doing some early morning listening and scouting next week. I am not terribly excited about not seeing birds. Hopefully I will be surprised next week. At least so far this year, and last, I can understand why they haven't put either of these changes in hunting regulations(early start, all day season). Bird numbers have been dropping. I'm not just talking about in my area either. From what I have heard and witnessed, bird numbers have been declining. Hope we don't get too much snow[X(]
-Kevin

i under stand what you're saying Kevin yes there aren't as many birds as there was 20 years ago but the numbers here at least have come back up i'm sure the numbers up or down depends on where you live as for an earlier start of the season i don't see what hurt that would do . and i don't think we will have all day hunting any time soon[:)] wayne

Wow i have seen the complete opposite here in Ostego county were ive seen the flock numbers on the rise on a ok day ive counted 40 to 50 birds in the field and i do believe the turkey pop is super strong here in central NY. Ive already seen chasing fighting heard gobbling and yelping even though the snow has shut them down again. I spend alot of time scouting and walking in the woods talking to the DEC wild life bio as well checking over 50 game cameras on several peices of land .The numbers are there and the turkey flocks are growing just were your at madison county considered the north country is colder and has more snow on the ground which puts the turkeys behind sometimes in two weeks you will see more action.

I'm sure the birds will be around. I also think this rain we had a couple weeks ago along with the cold temps have kept the birds in hiding. However, I usually see some flocks in fields where the rain doesn't affect the area as much, this year I haven't. It's not to say I think New York's bird population is down, just where I am at specifically. Maybe next weeks scouting trip will have me surprised. I actually plan on doing some hunting in the tug hill this year. I have a camp up there in Constableville. Any areas up there that I should be looking at? Certainly good turkey country up there.
-Kevin

Kevin as far as tug hill goes i always hunted off of rt 177 up in that area outside of lowville great turkey hunting there. I havent been back there in three years since being down here but all and all great big woods and lots of state land....Also try down near the four corners outside of copenhagen that state land was booming with turkeys....